The Russellville Democrat., 1887-06-29

handed back again behind the balze screen; and another woman, the an- tipodes of the first one, made her ap- pearance. She was about five feet eight inches in height, dressed in dirty white muslin, covered all over with pale blue and pink bows The East-end young man stated she was only four stone in weight, and gave various other particulars, which were all received by the audience with rapt attention. The sight of this hide ous specimen of humanity was too much for me, and I elbowed my way to the door, thus missing the remain ing attractions of the show, including the ''hextrahordinary freak O nature the armless child,n whom, however, 1 was destined to see at future date.
 The following Monday afternoon I was passing on business through the same thoroughfare, when l observed the red-faced man with the hoarse voice standing, or rather lounging, out side the entrance to the show. Having quarter of an hour to spare, and feel ing interested in the extraordinary be- ings had seen on the previous Satur- day, 1 accosted him, and asked him if he would come and have something to warm him at neighboring public house; intimating, as an excuse for my speaking to him, that 1 had been in his show on the Saturday. No apologies seemed necessary, and pro- ceeded to question him as to the work ing, prospects, etc, of his show.
 Where do we git the living curiosi- ties fromp Well-lots O places; gin- erally the least likely uns. Sometimes a poor family has some sort O deformed child born, and they gifts to hear as
 low, in show like oursn Che strengthened himself up), "they gifts taken good care on, and 'as chance O making something besides what we pays 'em. They comes and offers us the curiosity; and if we thinks it'll take, why, we gives 'em a sum down, and so much week as long as they're with us; and precious glad they are of it. they are. You see, it's friendly all round: it pays us; it pays the poor peo- pie; it pleases the curiosity; and it amuses the public, If we didn't take 'ers into our show, they'd very likely git sent to the workus, or kicked about and ill-treated, 'cos they wouldn't be able to earn their own living. But when they're with us, their people gifts kind O proud of 'em, and will come and 'ang around the show, and seem glad if they can git any one to listen to 'em when they says they're related to the curiosities inside. There's always plenty of offers a-coming to us. Some times we buys a performing animal off some circus people when he's old and not good enough for them, but quite smart enough for us. Sometimes we gifts 'em young, and trains 'em our selves. Sometimes But there it won't do to tell you hevery thing, or you'll be writing to the newspapers or something O that kind.n
 This dark allusion to something mysterious heightened my curiosity, and endeavored to draw him out fur ther, but with no success; and he pres ently went on again as follows:
 "Pay?-Yes, of course it pays, else we shouldn't keep on the same lay. There ain't much to be done any where's in the daytime, and none at all just here; but of a-night, we can fill the show as many times as we likes; and although it's only a penny, when there's sixty or seventy people go in every quarter of an hour, you see it mounts up. Lots on
 em goes in three or four times, they gifts so interested. After one shows over and fresh batch ready, some of those who went in first II come back and pay agin, pr'aps bringing a friend, who was awaiting to hear what the fust one said about it; and then they goes in again, eos they can't remem- Der how much the fat lady weighs; or else they gifts to feel sort O pride that they've bin to our show more times than any O their mates. LOT bless you, sir, I b'lieve some on 'em feels sorry they wasn' born a curiosity themselyesi Yes, it's always best to git in what's A1led low neighborhood, though why it should be called low, dunno. Poor peoples pennies are as good as any one else's. as fur as I can make out; and if any O the young fellers ever gifts ob- streperus or a-teasing of the curiosities, we've only got to speak bit sharp to 'em, and they're as quiet as murderer after he's been and got 'anged.
 The reader will observe that his sim lies were both forcible and original.
 "Yes, about week is the time for staying in one place sometimes fort night, and we have run as long as three weeks when we've had some fust-class curiosities. But we allus seems to be moving, and never gifts settled. Of course, if one of our best attractions dies, as they often does if the weather's bad, we have to shut mp for time, eos it gifts noised about that there ain't half so much to be seen as is announced. There never is, you sayP Well, and wot if there ain't? Are we any worse than any one else, l should like to knowp Is the man what adver- tises medicine to cure every thing a-tell- ing the truth any more thanusP Is the man what waters his milk, and takes his dayy it's pure, any bettcrP No; but just eos it's us, and our show ain't quite all what it says on tho canvas, we gifts called rogues and swiRdlers."